4of 4Navy quarterback Will Worth runs for a big gain in the second half against Connecticut in Annapolis, Md., on Sept. 10, 2016.Photo: Patrick Semansky /Associated Press

Troy Calhoun is an avid, unabashed student of college football history.

Without prompting, Calhoun can cite major achievements by the Army, Navy and Air Force programs. Memorable coaches, players and teams are savored for what they have meant to the rich legacy of all of the academies.

So it’s understandable why fast starts by all three programs this season have resonated so much with the Air Force coach.

“I absolutely love it,” said Calhoun, a former quarterback who became the first former Air Force player to direct the program when he was hired in 2007.

Air Force and Navy are 3-0 heading into their game Saturday at Colorado Springs. It marks the first time in the 49-game history of their rivalry that both are undefeated. Meanwhile, Army, which will play Notre Dame in the Alamodome later this season, is 3-1.

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Fast fact: Midshipmen have won 24 of their last 27 games against the other service-academy teams.

Player: OT James Rast

(Johnson)

Fast fact: Falcons have earned 19 Commander-in-Chief’s

trophies in their 44-season

history — most of any academy.

Player: WR Jermaine Adams (Judson)

Fast fact: Black Knights, who will play Notre Dame on Nov. 12 at the Alamodome, lead the nation in rushing (374.8 yards per game) and time of possession (38:31) and are tied for fifth in fewest turnovers (two).

Tim Griffin

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If the trio can maintain their fast starts, all of the academies could make bowl trips in the same season for the first time since 2010 — the only previous time it’s happened.

“It’s good for college football,” Calhoun said. “College football as an enterprise is trying to go in one direction. But to me, what’s really neat is to see the soul of the academies and yet still have the belief of them having competitive football teams.”

The nation is noticing. All three military academies are listed in the bowl projections by ESPN.com, Sports Illustrated and CBS Sports.com this week. CBS Sports.com has all of the academies ranked among its top 53, with Air Force the best at No. 31.

“It’s really cool to see all three service academies are doing well at the same time,” Navy coach Ken Niumatalolo said. “The season is early and hopefully, all three can continue to be successful, because it’s a long year. But it’s been exciting.”

The early across-the-board success at the service academies can only help expand the awareness of all three programs. . Each school features a similar option-based offensive attack. All three rank among the top 12 teams nationally in fewest turnovers.

Air Force tackle James Rast finds himself rooting for the other academies.

“You want them to win every game except those when they play us,” said Rast, who played at Johnson High School. “It only helps the Commander-in-Chief series become that much bigger. It’s good for all of us.”

The Midshipmen, who have made 13 bowl trips in the last 14 seasons, have become the dominant academy program of the recent era. They have also claimed the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy in 10 of the last 13 seasons. The trophy goes to each season’s winner of the triangular series among the three schools.

Air Force has gone to bowl games in eight of the nine seasons and claimed its first Mountain West Mountain Division championship last season.

The biggest surprise this season has been Army, which had won just 14 games over the previous five seasons. Third-year coach Todd Monken and the Black Knights beat Temple, Rice and UTEP for their first 3-0 start since 1996 before losing 23-20 in overtime last week at Buffalo.

“Us and Air Force have been winning for quite a few years,” Niumatalolo said. “It’s not like we got good this year. The team that’s trying to get it turned around is Army and they’ve done a really good job. It’s a testament to coach Monken and their staff.”

Army’s loss last week came under trying circumstances. Defensive back Brandon Jackson was killed in a one-car accident on Sept. 11. After beating UTEP six days later, the Black Knights buried their former teammate last week in the middle of exams before a late collapse against Buffalo.

Army had two critical late fumbles after no turnovers in its first three games. Kicker Blake Wilson missed a 34-yard field goal attempt in the final three seconds of regulation and a 43-yarder in overtime. He was pressed into duty after Army’s starting kicker, Mitchell Howard, was injured making a tackle on the opening kickoff.

“It’s not been easy, but it’s not an excuse,” Monken said. “You’ve got to be able to overcome adversity. But what we’ve gone through obviously takes a toll emotionally. And it just eats away at you.”

Army’s schedule looks more manageable after a bye this week. It’s biggest remaining challenge appears to be a Nov. 12 trip to San Antonio to play the Fighting Irish.

A win there would only cement what the academies have accomplished to this point.

“This start helps the profile of all of the service academies,” said Army wide receiver Jermaine Adams, formerly of Judson. “It shows the country that we all can compete with the other Division I schools if we get the chance.”

Tim Griffin has been a journalist for more than 30 years working at a variety of newspapers and websites, including more than 25 years at the San Antonio Express-News. He has covered all four Spurs NBA championship series victories, along with 12 national championship football games and five Final Fours. Griffin has been honored nationally and regionally for his writing and enterprise and was a former national president of the Football Writers Association of America. He is a graduate of the University of Memphis and is married with one son.